Benefits Advice

Our expert benefits advisor, Mark, is a survivor of kidney cancer, having been diagnosed in September 2019, and overcoming the physical & psychological effects of the diagnosis. This period of healing would not have been for the support he received from Kidney Cancer UK, their counselling services, regular virtual coffee mornings/evenings and the FB support group. Mark wondered how he could “pay it forward”.

He approached the charity to see what he could do, and he suggested the charity could utilise his skills and knowledge of the benefits system.

Mark has a wealth of experience within the benefits system, in excess of a decade in Working Age benefit departments with the Department for Work and Pensions.

The expertise Mark offers:

• A significant understanding of Universal Credit and how it is calculated based on a customer’s personal circumstances.
• In conjunction with Universal Credit, Mark can provide support with navigating the health journey and what actions to take when a customer is diagnosed with a terminal illness.
• Able to provide advice regarding Personal Independence Payment (PIP).

Your responsibilities to maintaining a claim to a benefit

• You must report all changes in your circumstances e.g. change of address
• Provide accurate and complete information during the claim process and throughout the lifetime of a claim

Mark cannot offer a decision on a benefit claim. All customers are entitled to an official decision made by the department for which the claim to a benefit has been made, this is known as a Secretary of State Decision.

Although Mark is able to provide advice for patients in England, Scotland and Wales, he is unable to provide advice for patients who live in Northern Ireland

Useful information and links:

Medical exemption for Prescriptions (England)

Medical Exemption for patients diagnosed with cancer in England. The information is contained within the following guidance at 4.9 ask your GP, cancer nurse et for form FP92A – further guidance can be found here – Prescriptions (England)

Terminal Illness diagnosis

The SR1 is dealt with under Special Rules legislation. Patients who have been issued with a SR1 can apply for certain benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) under Special Rules. There is no requirement for patients to attend a medical assessment, they are awarded the higher components of PIP. More information can be found via this link – End of Life SR1 (previously known as a DS1500)

Carers Allowance

I can discuss eligibility for Carers Allowance and how it impacts other benefits.  Carers Allowance 

Winter Fuel Payment

Winter Fuel Payment (WFP) is available to all pensioners who were born before the 25^th September 1957, this date changes every year.

You will not be eligible if you:

• have been in hospital getting free treatment for more than a year
• need permission to enter the UK and your granted leave says that you cannot claim public funds
• were in prison for the whole of the week of 18 to 24 September 2023

More information is available via – Winter Fuel Payments

Bereavement Support Payment

A little-known benefit payment that is available to the spouse or partner who is recently bereaved. Eligibility criteria can be found via – Bereavement Support Payment

Passported Benefits

For Universal Credit (UC) if a patient believes they may have entitlement, for example, to free dental treatment but there is a degree of uncertainty. The approach should be to submit a query to myself or Universal Credit.

Not all in receipt of UC are entitled to Passported Benefits, there is a requirement to consider household income.

Other Useful links

• Information for patients who live in Northern Ireland
• Information on becoming an appointee
• Making a claim to Universal Credit
• Making a claim for Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
• Appealing benefit Decisions